Tea making appliance with filter assembly

Abstract

A tea maker includes a brewing unit which defines a vessel having an upper opening with a spout disposed thereon. A lid assembly is removeably received on the upper opening of the vessel and includes a steeping tube. The steeping tube extends downwardly from the lid assembly into the vessel when the lid assembly is received on the upper opening of the vessel. An articulating filter assembly is coupled to the lid assembly and includes a filter plate that is operable between an extended position and a retracted position. The filter plate is configured to contact an inner surface of the vessel when the filter plate is in the extended position. A biasing member is configured to bias the filter plate towards the extended position for filtering a brewed tea mixture as the mixture is poured through the upper opening of the vessel.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An appliance, comprising:
 a support stand having a support surface with a power plug extending upwardly from the support surface; 
 a vessel removeably received on the support stand, wherein the vessel includes a cavity having an inner surface and an upper opening, and further wherein the vessel includes a bottom surface having a receptacle for receiving the power plug; 
 a lid assembly removeably received on the upper opening of the vessel and having a centrally disposed aperture, wherein the lid assembly includes a filter plate pivotally coupled to an underside of the lid assembly and operable between extended and retracted positions, wherein the filter plate includes a body portion having a plurality of perforations disposed therethrough, and further wherein the body portion of the filter plate contacts the inner surface of the vessel when the filter plate is in the extended position; and 
 a cover removable coupled to the lid assembly, wherein the cover is received over the centrally disposed aperture. 
 
     
     
       2. The appliance of  claim 1 , including:
 a biasing member operably coupled between the filter plate and the underside of the lid assembly, wherein the biasing member biases the filter plate towards the extended position. 
 
     
     
       3. The appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the biasing member includes a coil spring having a first leg coupled to the filter plate and a second leg coupled to the underside of the lid assembly. 
     
     
       4. The appliance of  claim 1 , including:
 a spout positioned on the upper opening of the cavity; and 
 a pouring path defined between the cavity of the vessel and the spout, wherein the filter plate is disposed along the pouring path in a transverse direction relative to a direction of the pouring path when the filter plate is in the extended position. 
 
     
     
       5. The appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the filter plate is disposed along the pouring path in an upstream location relative to the spout. 
     
     
       6. The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the inner surface of the vessel includes a curved contour. 
     
     
       7. The appliance of  claim 6 , wherein the body portion of the filter plate includes a curved configuration that is complimentary to the curved contour of the inner surface of the vessel. 
     
     
       8. A kettle, comprising:
 a vessel having a cavity and an upper opening; and 
 a lid assembly removeably received on the upper opening of the vessel, wherein the lid assembly includes a filter plate operably coupled to an underside of the lid assembly and operable between extended and retracted positions, wherein the filter plate contacts an inner surface of the vessel when the filter plate is in the extended position, and further wherein the filter plate is removeably received in the cavity of the vessel, and further wherein the lid assembly includes a central aperture opening into a steeping tube extending downwardly from the lid assembly. 
 
     
     
       9. The kettle of  claim 8 , wherein the inner surface of the vessel includes a curved contour. 
     
     
       10. The kettle of  claim 9 , wherein the filter plate includes a body portion having a curved configuration that is complimentary to the curved contour of the inner surface of the vessel. 
     
     
       11. The kettle of  claim 10 , wherein the body portion of the filter plate includes a plurality of perforations disposed therethrough. 
     
     
       12. The kettle of  claim 8 , wherein the steeping tube extends into the cavity of the vessel when the lid assembly is received on the upper opening of the vessel. 
     
     
       13. The kettle of  claim 8 , including:
 a handle disposed on an outer surface of the vessel, wherein the handle includes an upper portion having a locating channel disposed thereon. 
 
     
     
       14. The kettle of  claim 13 , wherein the lid assembly includes a locating feature configured to be received in the locating channel of the handle. 
     
     
       15. The kettle of  claim 8 , including:
 a cover configured to selectively cover the central aperture of the lid assembly. 
 
     
     
       16. The kettle of  claim 8 , wherein the steeping tube includes a body portion having a plurality of perforations disposed therethrough.